Endocarditis in Greenland with special reference to Endocarditis caused bt Streptococcus Phneumoniae

Abstract

Objectives. The aim of this retrospective study was to determine the incidence and outcome ofinfectious endocarditis in Greenland with an emphasis on pneumococcal endocarditis.

Study design. Retrospective, non-interventional study.

Methods. Review of files and medical history of all patients with infectious endocarditis from thePatient Registry in Greenland in the 11-year period 1995–2005.

Results. There were 25 cases of endocarditis, giving an incidence rate of 4.0/100,000 per year.Twenty-four percent of these cases were caused by Streptoccous pneumonia, which is significantlymore frequent than in studies on Caucasian populations, where pneumococcal infection was seenin 1–3% of endocarditis cases. The overall mortality rate was 12%. Pneumococcal endocarditis(PE) had the clinical characteristics of fulminant disease with frequent heart failure, complicationsand need for surgery. Among cases with PE, 67% needed acute valve replacement and themortality rate was 33%.

Conclusions. The high incidence rate, clinical characteristics and grave prognosis of PE areconsistent with another study of an Inuit population in Alaska.

Keywords:

• Endocarditis
• Streptococcus Pneumoniae
• Pneumococcal infections
• Inuit
• Greenland